Can be done for less than that if you are on a budget, still with high-quality training. The groundschool can come in at around £4000, plus £728 for the exams (I assume included in your exam fees, no sponsor). The IR around the £10,000 mark, even less if you want to do more in the sim. Not sure of the going rate for CPL and ME but Probably some can be shaved off £6,500.
I admit I work for an FTO that offers all these courses, so it may be in my interest to publicise this, but I also think it is your interest. I recon the cheapest it can be done in the UK is around £40,000 to the school, £2500ish to the CAA. You may be able to shave a little off doing some hour building in the US, I am not sure of the current economics or the visa situation, but some of the CPL instructors note the poor flying of some students who have spent the last 100 of their hours “burning holes in the sky” in Florida, so do something constructive!
I suggest that before you make any decisions you call a few schools to arrange a visit. Pick more than one for each area of study, to compare how you feel about them. This is important, you will be spending a lot of money and time with them, you want to feel it is the school for you. This is a personal thing.
Remember your friends liked Oxford, but cannot say it is second to none if they never went elsewhere, nor can they say it will be the best for you. Visit Oxford and other schools, talk to other students, look at the notes, talk to the instructors, form your own impression.
Don’t make your final decision about flying yet. You may get a better impression when you have been in the system for a while, you may get a better offer later. Don’t automatically carry on with the same school, but use your time there to try to find out about the flying if the school does flying as well. Visit a few others with your greater experience of the training system, maybe in company with friends you have made in groundschool, to share thoughts.
Above all – best of luck! The course is tough, but very rewarding
